Corinth allows more time for operations review

CORINTH – The Corinth city board has extended the time that an audit consultant will spend reviewing city operations and suggesting internal control changes.
Vicksburg accounting consultant Donna Ingram was hired by the board last month to assess city operations and make a report to the board. This week the aldermen allowed for another two weeks for further review and to implement some recommendations.
“From my business background, when taking over any new situation it’s a good business practice to have an audit done,” said Mayor Tommy Irwin. “The audit is a constructive way to make improvements in your operations.”
The mayor and four of the city’s six aldermen are newly elected, and they wanted a status report as responsibility changes hands from one administration to another.
Ingram submitted her audit report last week after spending several days last month in various city departments observing procedures and interviewing staff members.
She identified procedures in the city’s general accounting operations that she observed in the city clerk’s office, tax collections office and street department, making recommendations for system changes to improve internal controls, and also recommending an external audit procedure.
Ingram noted in the report areas she was not able to evaluate in the time available, including the sewer department, city garage, municipal court, drug seizures, payroll, fixed assets and grants.
The board voted Tuesday to extend Ingram’s time another week to complete the audit review and a second week to enact suggested changes.
“We’re pleased with the quality of her work in the time she was here,” said Ward 1 Alderman Andrew “Bubba” Labas, who recommended bringing Ingram in to conduct the audit. “She’s identified a number of areas that we can make better.”